Southwest Monsoon now active

More rains and high winds are expected in the wake of the Southwest Monsoon being fully active over the island while the floods are gradually receding, the Department of Meteorology said yesterday.

It forecasts rains of up to 50mm in Western, Southern, Central, Sabaragamuwa and North-Western Provinces during the next few days.

Disaster Management Centre (DMC) Deputy Director and Media Spokesman Pradeep Kodiplly said the landslide warning issued for Kalutara, Galle, Ratnapura, Kegalle and Nuwara Eliya Districts will continue because of the heavy rains saturating the soil in these areas.

Some 75,000 displaced people are being sheltered in temporary camps while some 163,000 people have been affected by the heavy rains. The death toll remains at 23 with five dying from lightning strikes, some drowning in the flood waters and some others trapped under falling trees.

Water levels are dropping while the Gampaha District, Galle and Kalutara still under threat from floods. (Yohan Perera)